Prime Minister Tony Abbott told Parliament in Canberra on Thursday that a Royal Australian Airforce Orion has been diverted to the area to attempt to locate the objects. The Orion is expected to arrive in the area Thursday afternoon. Three additional aircraft are expected to follow for a more intensive search.

In comments to lawmakers, Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbot didn't say where the objects were seen, but military planes from Australia, the U.S. and New Zealand have been searching the southern Indian Ocean. He cautions that actually locating the objects will be extremely difficult and that it may turn out they are not related to the aircraft.

An Australian official said possible objects from missing plane are 2,500 kilometers (1,550 miles) southwest of Perth.